Pole reinforcement



M. RUGGIERI Filed Jan. 14, 19:59

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 9, 1941 Michael .Ruggieri, :Stroudsburg,

-Pa., assignor to Line Material Company of Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 14, 1 939,Serial'Nc. 250,969

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in re inforcing means for wooden poles.

One object of this invention is to provide for weakened wooden poles, a metal pole reinforcement adapted to be driven into Jearth surrounding the pole and to compact the earth as the reinforcement reaches its final pole-reinforcing position, thereby to aid the polereinforcement in its function.

As will hereafter be apparent, pole reinforcements are subjected to greater disruptive forces at the portion adjacentthe surface of the ground about the poles than at portions of the reinforcements more remote from said surface. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to strengthen the pole reinforcement portion adjacent the surface of the ground and also by reason of this strengthened portion to cause compacting of the ground as previously noted.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved pole reinforcement with a ,longitudinally-extending rib which terminates in ribs diverging upwardly at the portion of the reinforcement adjacent the surface of the ground and adapted to compact the surface of the ground in lateral directions relative to the reinforcement about the base of the reinforced wooden pole during the installation of the reinforcement and also adapted to strengthen the reinforcement at said portion.

Another object is to provide a pole reinforcement which will, by reason of its ability to compact the earth about a pole, be urged toward the pole and held in contact therewith as it is forced to its final position of pole reinforcement.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a view in side elevation of the pole reinforcement embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of the pole reinforcement embodying this invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Like parts are designated by similar reference numerals throughout the several views.

Particular reference may now be had to Figs. 1 and 2 wherein E designates a section of earth in which the base portion of a wooden pol P is embedded. As indicated in Fig. 1, the portion R of the pole beneath the ground level of the earth E is weakened by deterioration. It is this portion of the pole for which the pole reinforcement M is provided as a strengthening member. In order to strengthen the pole and prolong its service, the reinforcing member or reinforcement M is driven into the ground E adjacent the pole P and secured thereto above the ground level by means of a pair of clamping rods 6.

Preferably, the reinforcement M is cast in one piece having its base or plate portion 8 curved transversely in horizontal section to conform substantially to the circumferential contour of the pole .P. Theup-per end of the reinforcement is provided with a driving head 1 adapted to receive driving blows when the reinforcement member is 'beingwdriven into the earth alongside of the pole.

The driving head is reinforced by a .pair of ribs .10 which diverge downwardly from the lower portion of the driving head 1 and merge at their lower extremities into a pair of bracing ribs 12 extending along the sides of the upper portion of the reinforcement from the bolt-receiving ears l5 and I 6 adjacent the ground level to the boltreceiving ears I3 and M at the upper end of the reinforcement. The ears l3 and I4 are connected to the driving :head 1 by means of ribs il, thereby being reinforced against lateral stresses produced by the bolt 6 connected to the ears [3 and M.

Ears J3 and :16 are provided with slots It to receive the headed ends I-9 of the bracing rods 6 to facilitate connection of the rods with the ears, and ears l4 and I5 are providedwith apertures 20,, see Fig. 3, to receive the threaded end of the rods 6 and to prevent withdrawal of the rods while the nuts 26 are being drawn onto the threaded ends of the rods.

The lower portion 1 of the reinforcement M, which is disposed below the lower ears l5 and 16, is provided with a rib 2! located centrally of the portion l and terminating in a beveled edge 22 at the lower end of the portion I. The upper end of the rib 2| merges into the upwardly diverging ribs 23 which extend to and terminat in the lower ears l5 and I6. Preferably, the lower end of the portion l of the reinforcment is beveled at 24 on each side to form a wedge-like end cooperating with the beveled edge 22 of the rib 21 to minimize resistance to forces driving the reinforcement into the earth.

It is also preferred that the lowerportion of the reinforcement be inclined outwardly and upwardly-at 32 relative to the base 8 and toward the margin of the rib 2| upon each side of therib 2| to :serve as a wedge cooperating with the ribs 23 for compacting the earth as the reinforcement reaches its final position during driving operations.

Installation .of the reinforcement is accomplished by :placing the curved base 8 in contact with the pole P and the lower end resting on the ground and "then driving the reinforcement into the ground :by repeated hammer blows on the driving head -1. As the reinforcement reaches the position shown in Fig. 1, the earth adjacent the ground level is wedged outwardly and laterally relative to the pole P, thus compacting the earth about the pole and imposing additional deteriorated portion R and it has been foundthat under severe testing conditions which would tend to. break the pole at the portion R, the pole actually breaks off at the stronger pole portion above the upper end of the reinforcement.

Additional means for securing the upper end of the reinforcement M may be provided in the form of three apertures 28 adapted to receive lag screws (not shown) or a bolt (not shown) extending through the pole.

Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modification of the reinforcement'shown in Fig. 1. As will be seen fromjthe application of the numerals, this reinforcement is substantially like that shown in Figs. l and 2, but the intermediate portion is provided with a transverse rib 21 connecting upwardly-diverging ribs 30 which merge into the lower ears I5 and 16. In turn, the rib 21 is reinforced by the triangular portion 33 which connects the ribs 3&1 below the rib 21 and connects the rib 21 with the point of juncture between the Thus the divergent ribs 30 are substantially reinforced in performingtheir function of adding strength tothe intermediate portion of the reinforcement at ground level and of compacting ground that may be more solid than usual.

From the drawing and the foregoing description, it will be apparent'that I have provided for poles having a weakened section, a novel reinforcement adapted to compact ground about the pole as it is driven into the earth, that is provided with'a maximum reinforcing strength at ground level, that effectively adds its strength to that of a weakened pole section, that will be held in contact with a pole" by means of compacted earth as the reinforcement is driven to its final position, and that is simple to manufacture and install.

I claim: 7

I 1, A pole reinforcement adapted to bedriven into the ground alongside of a pole, said reinforcement comprising a member adapted to contact said pole longitudinally thereof and including a portion adapted to be set in the ground alongside said pole, said portion having on its exterior a rib extending from the lower end of said portion and terminating at its upper end in a pair of ribs diverging from the first-mentioned rib toward the upper end of said member and positioned at 'a point intermediate the ends of said reinforcement, each of said pair of ribs terminating in a reinforcing rib spaced from the other reinforcing rib, said reinforcing ribs terminating in a driving head flush with the upper end of said member, said pair of ribs being positioned relative to said portion to compact said ground as the reinforcement is driven thereinto, and means for securing said reinforcement to said pole.

it will be obvious 'that the reinforcement M adds its strength tothat of the.

around the pole that the head ends a 2. A pole reinforcement adapted to be driven into the ground alongside of a pole, said reinforcement comprising an elongated member, a reinforcing rib extending longitudinally of said member, said member intermediate its ends having a ground-compacting portion inclined outwardly toward the margin of said rib, thereby to wedge said reinforcement into supporting relation with said pole as the reinforcement is driven into the ground;

3. A pole reinforcement which is adapted to be I driven into the ground alongside of a pole, said reinforcement comprising an elongated member, a reinforcing rib extending longitudinally of said member and terminating in a pair of divergent .ribs intermediate the ends of said member, each of said pair ofribs terminating in a reinforcing rib spaced from the other reinforcing rib, said reinforcing ribs terminating in' a driving head flush with the upper end of said member, said a member having a ground-compacting portioninclined outwardly toward the margin of said divergent ribs, thereby to wedge saidreinforcement into supporting relationship with said pole and -to compact thesurface area of the ground about ment is driven to its final position of pole reinforcement. a V

5. A pole reinforcement adapted to be driven into the ground alongside of a pole, said reinforcement comprisingan elongated member hav ing a lower portion provided with a longitudinally-extending rib terminating in a pair of spaced reinforcing ribs extending from the firstmentioned rib toward the upper end of said member, a cross rib connecting intermediateportions of said reinforcing ribs, and a ground compacting portion inclined outwardly from said member, thereby to wedge said reinforcement into supporting relation with said pole as the reinforcement is driven into the ground. j i 1 6. A pole reinforcement adapted tobe driven into the ground alongside ofapole said rein-' forcement comprising an arcuately-curved base member, a longitudinally-extending rib which terminates in a pair of reinforcingrelatively divergent ribs, each 'of said pair of ribs terminating in a reinforcing rib spaced from the other reinforcing rib, said reinforcing ribs terminating in a driving head, cross ribs normal to each other and connecting intermediate portions of .said divergent ribs, said divergent ribs, cross ribs and longitudinally-extending rib being interconheated to form a triangular reinforcing portion,

and a groundcompacting portion inclined outwardly; from said memberadjacent said triangular portion and cooperating therewithto wedge ,said reinforcement into supporting relation with said-pole as the reinforcement is driven into. the ground.; 7 Y MICHAEL RUGGIERI. 

